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Does anyone know if this is available, displaying footage of him maybe teaching or providing a demonstration. I'm presuming that if Budo was created for Ueshiba, than there must be some out there?

I'm interested to see how his movement compares to Ueshiba, and also Sagawa - but his footage seems just as difficult to find...

Chris

Good luck in that quest - I have never seen nor heard of any - if any exist, they are probably lost in someone's private archives - I think the closet you are going to get to what Takeda was doing on film would be the few clips of Kodo Horikawa that are out in the public domain.

I've been told there is some film of ST, but it's from his acrobatic days with the traveling circus...!!!
That was when he still had his front teeth. He was really into hand balancing(anything to impress the ladies). ;0)

I've been told there is some film of ST, but it's from his acrobatic days with the traveling circus...!!!
That was when he still had his front teeth. He was really into hand balancing(anything to impress the ladies). ;0)

Take Care,

ChrisW

Chris

Takeda Sokaku was an acrobate? I was not aware of this. I don't think I have read this before. What do you mean by hand balancing? Like balancing an object in your hand?

Could you name a book or other publication (Aikido Journal?) that mentions this or tells more about it?

Takeda Sokaku was an acrobate? I was not aware of this. I don't think I have read this before. What do you mean by hand balancing? Like balancing an object in your hand?

Could you name a book or other publication (Aikido Journal?) that mentions this or tells more about it?

Tom

Tom,

Sorry. I was just kidding around a bit. Don't take me seriously. Hand balancing is learning to do handstands...it's supposed to be good for the core...if it's any good in developing IP/Aiki, I don't know.
:0)

Sorry. I was just kidding around a bit. Don't take me seriously. Hand balancing is learning to do handstands...it's supposed to be good for the core...if it's any good in developing IP/Aiki, I don't know.
:0)

Take Care,

ChrisW

PS Thanks Chris...

Cartwheels used to be a standard part of the warm-ups at Katsuyuki Kondo's dojo, it was hell until I got used to them.

There is no footage of Sokaku Takeda in Huzhou or Daishi, Zhejiang, PRC (I checked). There are some very good noodles and some decent qinna, however. Aikiweb and Dan Harden's forum are available behind the Great Firewall of China, but for some reason Mike Sigman's Blogspot site is not. Dantien is over-rated in the West and the kua/yao are not trained nearly enough. All agree that it has to be felt but, more specifically, you have to be thrown.

Sorry. I was just kidding around a bit. Don't take me seriously. Hand balancing is learning to do handstands...it's supposed to be good for the core...if it's any good in developing IP/Aiki, I don't know.
:0)

Take Care,

ChrisW

PS Thanks Chris...

Maybe not for developing neijin. But I know of at least one T'ai chi expert who uses his neijin in acrobatics.

I get the impression that there are not that many photo's of him doing techniques either? Not as much as with O Sensei anyway.

Tom

I'm sure there are more photos. Most likely in private collections...Mr Pranin might even have some still unpublished ones as well. I know he has some interesting information that has of yet been made public(he seems that he does not want to step on any toes). One day there might be many shocked people out there.

Ed -- From unknown translator -- English version of Daitokan newsletters regarding Sokaku Takeda, Daito ryu headmaster as told by his son, Tokimune Takeda, late headmaster.

With the Boshin War over (during Takeda's childghood), and then the Seinan Civil War, the government put pressure on control of weapons and martial arts schools. Thus Sokaku's sword training was temporarily curtailed. -- Ed.

Sokaku's Training as an acrobat

As he was traveling for self-training, he happened across a troupe of acrobats who were very popular at that time. The group consisting of about 12 acrobats made their headquarters in Nagasaki Prefecture.

The head of the troupe asked Sokaku to help them with their act if he did not have any pressing business. Sokaku had been small in size since childhood but quite nimble. He was skillful at somersaults and had been nicknamed "Kozaru" (little monkey.)

Since he was interested in acrobatics, he joined the troupe and toured with them performing acrobatic stunts. The most popular attraction was tightrope walking on a unicycle. Sokaku absorbed himself in practicing riding the unicycle on the tightrope every night till dawn after the others had fallen asleep. Finally, he mastered the technique in about seven days. The leader of the troupe was amazed at his skill in acrobatics in such a short time. He also perfected other acrobatic skills in addition to riding the unicycle.

Just wondering(because I don't remember reading this story so indepth), where did you come across this story? Aikinews? I've read most of the back issues...maybe, I need to read them again. Any information would be great. Thanks. :0)

Many years ago I ran into a translation of many of the Daitokan newsletters into English. Unknown translator - did a great job. Much of Pranin's stuff regarding Sokaku Takeda comes from this material which is basically stories by the late headmaster Tokimune Takeda.

The material gives a different view of Sokaku than some stuff out there. Comes across as a man who loves training in the martial arts, trapped in the samurai age as the whole country transforms into the 20th century western model.

Literally, he went from surviving the Boshin War with swords against guns to seeing Japan being bombed by Doolittle and the Japanese Navy defeated at Midway.

Even though Sokaku taught extensively military and police, there seems to be little hard copy on him. Pranin has done a hard job well.